Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES)

Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

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Climate change is one of the greatest challenges to human society in contemporary times. Statistics show that the last decades have already seen a sharp rise in economic, social and environmental damages due to climate and weather-related natural hazards – and scientists expect the frequency and intensity of such extreme to rise due to climate change. However, the extent of damages are, in part, a testimony to our lack of understanding and inability to prepare and adapt to climate change. From global to local levels, public and private sector institutions are seeking the tools and the knowledge for climate risk management. Decision-makers at all levels are asking how they can better manage climate-related risks and opportunities. Demand for useful climate-related knowledge and information is increasing. Thus, existing climate knowledge and tools need to be improved and made available around the world.

The goal of this project is to enhance resilience in social, economic and environmental systems to climate variability and change by developing effective and sustainable regional and national climate services. Through this project, climate information will be available where it is most useful. It will connect communities so that they can discuss challenges and learn from the experiences and good practices of others. It will provide governments and decision-makers with client-focused information to enhance management of both climate opportunities and risk in order to raise awareness of climate variability and change and to promote preparedness to ongoing or foreseen climate anomalies and the negative consequences they might cause.

The challenge with regard to the provision of adequate climate information and its appropriate use is twofold:

Developing and enhancing systems for production and delivery of useable climate information, spanning global to local scales, on various timescales.

Ensuring an effective uptake of the information by decision-makers in different sectors.

The overall purpose of the project is to increase national capacities to understand, anticipate, prepare for and cope with the negative impacts of natural hazards and to increase resilience to climate variability and change.